


What came next  (or, the art of practical politics)

by LakeGirl



Category: Temeraire - Naomi Novik
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:15:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25458400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LakeGirl/pseuds/LakeGirl
Summary: So the dragons were elected to Parliament, people treated them with respect, and Britain became a shining beacon of human-dragon partnership and good feeling. Right? Um, okay maybe not.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 57
Collections: Temeraire Summer Exchange 2020





	What came next  (or, the art of practical politics)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SearchingforSerendipity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SearchingforSerendipity/gifts).



> This fills half the prompt, about the changing role of dragons in society, though it stays immediately post-cannon. Hope you enjoy!

The vote was a near thing – their coalition with the abolitionists held, but only just. And had a single member broken, yet another provision from the Dragon Rights Act would have been reversed. The draconic members of Parliament retreated to Temeraire's pavillion to gripe, or as Perscitia called it, to caucus. 

The addition of dragons to the august body had not only failed to advance the rights of dragons, it seemed to have done the opposite, by drawing dragons constantly to the attention of the other members.

"Well, we're done for," said Minnow glumly. "They'll call another vote next week, and the week after that, and eventually they'll win, no matter how much we go on about justice and their promises. With Napolean cast away on that island, they have no reason to listen. Our thank-you for joining up is watching our rights disappear as quick as they can say 'aye'."

"And all that talk of threatening alliance with other powers – I don't see how that helps anything," Ricarlee said, dashing Temeraire's hopes that no one would remember him making that point. "It's not as though the Prussians or Austrians need our help, either, and anyhow why should I go back over _there_ when my forest is _here_?"

Minnow capped the argument by saying, "I'm not saying I wish we had fought on Napoleon's side instead – but one can't help but ask if he might've stuck by us better than this." Several dragons murmured agreement. 

"It is no use to wonder about Napoleon's hypothetical treatment of us after a hypothetical victory, when he lost," Temeraire replied firmly. "Anyway, it is very plain what would have happened; his logic would be no different, once the fighting was over. But that is behind us, and we had better attend to the situation right now: We need a different way to secure our rights. " 

All eyes were on him, waiting for his proposal, which made Temeraire dearly wish he had worked this idea through with Laurence and Tharkay before being forced to raise it here. 

"When we first met Tharkay and we were traveling across China, he told us that justice is reserved for those who have money and influence," he began carefully. 

"I was very young then and thought that everyone simply wanted justice for justice's sake. And some people do, of course, but not enough of those people have gotten into Parliament, or else slavery would already be abolished. Therefore," Temeraire concluded, "if we wish to preserve our rights, we will need to apply _money_ and _influence_." 

"Right, then," Ricarlee said sharply. "And where are we supposed to get money and influence?"

Before Temeraire could formulate a response, Perscitia cut in, "Finally, someone is making sense! All of you with your grand speeches – I have been saying for weeks that if you read the histories, it is very clear that is not how to win anything at all. If you are ready to listen, here is what we shall do."

––––––-

"Do you know," Harcourt asked when Laurence paid a visit to Dover, "Temeraire convinced Lily to give him money? A substantial amount, I think, though she will not say exactly how much."

"I am terribly sorry," Laurence said, "I cannot imagine what that might be about. I'll speak to him right away and see that he returns her funds."

"Oh, no, that is not what I meant!" Harcourt reassured him. "Lily didn't seem bothered about it, so I'm not either, I only mentioned it because I was curious." 

Her response only increased Laurence's apprehension; a dragon did not in normal circumstances part with any amount of treasure, much less without being bothered about it. 

"The money is not for me, at all!" Temeraire protested when Laurence inquired that evening. "It is held in a dedicated account and even I cannot access it without the consent of the oversight committee. If she wished to complain of it, she could have become one of the overseers, herself; I offered her the position but she said that it did not sound interesting."

Laurence rushed to assure him that Lily had not, in fact, complained. Still, Temeraire was too disgruntled to explain fully what the account was all about. Laurence loosely gathered that the dragons had taken up some sort of collection to benefit the general draconic welfare, in imitation of causes like abolition and suffrage. 

Satisfied at least that Lily had not been wronged, he soothed Temeraire, suggesting that they might read together for the rest of the evening. 

––––––-

"Temeraire, I saw that you won the votes of Lords Gascoyne and Grafton? That must be a fascinating story – I had thought either would sooner attend a session in shirtsleeves than support any expansion of dragon rights!" The elder Lady Allendale took such great interest in Temeraire's political career that she had taken a townhouse in London for the season, at which Laurence and Temeraire were frequent guests. 

"Oh, it was not so difficult!" responded Temeraire, speaking through French doors, open onto a generous courtyard. "You see, it happens that their wives both enjoy – "

Laurence stood, on the pretense of refilling Temeraire's tea, and soon lost the thread of the tale. Laurence was grateful for his mother's company, for her own sake, and also because she was such an appreciative audience for Temeraire's political exploits. 

"– and no one could explain where the packages had got to, except in Durzagh. So Minnow, as leader of the network, paid his own visit – " Temeraire was saying, clearly buildilng up to a climax.

Laurence knew that his own enthusiasm for these matters was far less than Temeraire deserved – by all accounts his dragon was becoming a remarkable political strategist. (He did wonder how much of this success ought to be credited to Perscitia; she was quite probably the more clever dragon, though she could never match Temeraire's persuasive presence.) Laurence hoped that his mother's attention went some way toward offsetting his own shortcomings. 

"– and everyone understood that once the vote went favorably, deliveries would resume as usual," Temeraire concluded triumphantly. 

"Ordinarily I could not condone such tactics," the Lady Allendale said, "but they are both such contemptible manipulators, and I daresay you have beaten them at their own game. I am glad for it. Well done! "

"My congratulations," Laurence said, as they both turned for his reaction. "And I am certain that far less savory means of influence have been deployed by others already during this session," which seemed like a safe observation, no matter what Minnow had gotten up to. 

––––––-

Tharkay was so absorbed in the morning paper that he didn't notice Laurence joining him at the breakfast table. When he finally laid the paper down, looking mildly stunned, Laurence tentatively ventured, "Good morning?" 

Tharkay did not return the greeting, but said slowly, "A dragon has won a property suit in the Court of Chancery," as if to convince himself that it was true. Laurence blinked; remembering the long years Tharkay had fought to confirm his own property rights, he had no notion of how a dragon might have succeeded.

"It was Ricarlee, I believe you know him?" Laurence nodded, as Ricarlee had led the Scottish ferals in the war's final campaign. "For generations, he and his companions have occupied land in the Cairngorms. Apparently, while they were away fighting, men began to encroach upon the dragons' territory for the timber. When the dragons returned, rather than drive them off by force, as has been the tradition for several centuries, Ricarlee filed a lawsuit."

"A lawsuit," repeated Laurence, trying to reconcile this with what he knew of Ricarlee.

"Exactly," Tharkay replied, "Justice Eldon is as Tory as they come, but it seems that his views are so extremely conservative as to land him unwittingly full circle on the reform side – he objected vehemently to taking advantage of anyone's military service to overrun their land. He began by affirming dragons' standing to use the court system in the first place, then cited enough precedent around common-law land ownership to plausibly rule in Ricarlee's favor. "

"It was a brilliant legal strategy," he continued, "to bring this particular suit with this particular justice. Ricarlee's lawyer surely earned his fee, which I am confident was exorbitant, because he is same man who won me back this estate." Tharkay leveled a look at Laurence. "That's a very odd coincidence, wouldn't you agree?" 

"If you are suggesting that I knew of this, I assure you I did not, though I am very happy to see Ricarlee's rights confirmed." Laurence paused, recalling a conversation he had forgotten. "Several months back, before we left London, I believe, Temeraire did ask me for the name of your lawyer."

Tharkay raised an eyebrow. "Indeed."

––––––-

The package for Temeraire appeared to be a book, though his excitement over it exceeded even his usual enthusiasm for new books; he nearly knocked it out of Laurence's hands twice during the unwrapping, attempting to glimpse the cover. 

And the cover was beautiful, featuring an illustration that bore a striking resemblance to the over-eager dragon and a title in elaborate script: _True Tales of Britain's Dragons_.

"Temeraire," Laurence asked, "what is this book?"

But Temeraire refused to answer and only said they should begin reading right away, with a belated inquiry as to whether Laurence had any pressing business for the afternoon. And so Laurence resigned himself to reading until hoarse – the volume seemed quite substantial.

It began with the Battle of Dover. The story had been told many times over in the press, of course, but this version distinguished itself by conveying the viewpoint of the dragons. Laurence found himself carried away by the action, so that he could almost feel that he had talons himself, and was straining his wings after a French Chevalier.

As the tale ended with the victory concert at Dover, Temeraire, who was vibrating with pride, consented to explain how the volume came to be. 

"The book of Chinese legends that Sir Howe sent us gave me the idea," he said. "In China, so many of people's favorite stories are about dragons, and I am sure that is why they are so easy around us. I thought that if the British could read stories about their own dragons, they would see they have nothing to fear and would want to treat us fairly."

"My dear, it is a brilliant approach." Laurence's heart clenched at his dragon's earnestness. "I cannot imagine that anyone should read such a story and come away with anything but a deeper understanding of and sympathy toward dragons."

He privately supposed he _could_ imagine it – he might not even have to stretch his imagination very far – but for the moment, he could let Temeraire's optimism carry the day. "Shall we read on?"

It was all there – daring maneuvers under fire, Perscitia's stratagems, the dramatic rescue in Africa. But the stories were not just about battles, or about victories. Levitas's loneliness and bravery were memorialized, which tore at Laurence's heart all over again, and the slow devastation of the dragon plague unfolded over several grim pages. There was even a sweet vignette in which Gentius showed a visitor the small portrait of his late captain. 

There was humor, too. Laurence had never learned about the incident with the cattle pen, and now had to set the book down to wipe away tears of laughter. "It is really not all that amusing," Temeraire said indignantly. "Only Exciduim insisted on including it, in exchange for paying his share of the publishing costs. He said it was because we were so careful not smash the pen, even though people are always afraid of dragons smashing things. And Mrs. Stuart said it was _endearing_ ," a term to which Temeraire did not seem fully reconciled. 

Tharkay had wandered by partway through the book, and stayed to listen. "Mary Martha Stuart," he said thoughtfully, reading the author's name. "Does she not write children's books about India? How did she come to write these tales?"

"Oh, she did not like to, at first!" Temeraire huffed. "But Perscitia was determined that she would tell the stories best. It took many visits, and once she stopped hiding and understood that we could pay her handsomely, she agreed." 

"I expect that being stalked by beasts larger than her house would have complicated the negotiations somewhat," Tharkay observed dryly. "Did you write first, at least? Or did you simply descend upon her like creatures from her worst nightmare?" 

"Perhaps she was frightened at first;" Temeraire admitted, "and she did not want to come aloft at all. But she could not very well write the book without going flying, and anyway, now she and Gentius are friends and Moncey carries Mrs. Stuart to him every Sunday for a visit."

And that, Laurence supposed, was at least one heart won. 

**Author's Note:**

> For anyone who hasn't read it: [Novik's little fic about the cattle pen. ](http://www.naominovik.com/feast-or-famine/)


End file.
